Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in a letter to Yahya Jammeh, President of Islamic Republic of The Gambia expressed concern over the forced disappearance of Ebrima Manneh, a Gambian journalist.

According to Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), On July 7, 2006 officials of The Gambia’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA) arrested Manneh from his office in Banjul. Till now the government has refused the imprisonment of Manneh and he is still not found.

Manneh was a journalist in the Daily Observer then pro-government newspaper. He was arrested in two cases for sharing information to a BBC journalist during an African Union meeting in Addis Ababa and for attempt to republish a story of BBC that criticizes President Yahya Jammeh’s taking over the power.

After his arrest Manneh was seen several times in different jails and detention centres and he was moved various times. He was also spotted at a hospital along with paramilitary officials for blood pressure treatment.

In 2007, the MFWA filed a civil suit at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice to seek justice for Manneh and his family. The government of Gambia did not appeared in the court and even tried to abduct one of the witnesses against the state. On 10 March, 2008, a Gambian journalist Yahya Dampha who was the witness of Manneh case escaped an attempt of kidnapping by three alleged NIA agents.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in the letter called on the government of Gambia to immediately release the journalist Ebrima Manneh.